Tres Leches Gelatina Con Mango
(THREE-MILK GELATIN WITH MANGO)
Cake with gelatin is our version of cake with ice cream—it’s the perfect birthday pairing. My mother’s creativity (and her sweet tooth) helped her make the tastiest gelatinas. It was the first thing I learned to make with her, to bring to a sleepover at a friend’s house. I remember making panna cotta for the first time as a pastry cook (now over 18 years ago) and connecting the dots with the treats of my youth … my mom was more of a chef than she ever gave herself credit for.
With that said, Mexican gelatinas are very different stylistically from a classic Italian panna cotta. We like a firmer, bouncier texture, as our gelatinas need to withstand sitting outside on a hot summer day and then being cut into 50 slices. This tres leches version, with the addition of canned mango chunks, is a favorite of mine and my brothers.
let’s cook together » Cookbook Club: Claudette Zepeda’s Debut Cookbook Embodies Local Culinary Cultures
This recipe is republished with permission from Cooking the Borderlands: Spice andSmoke Between Mexico and the States by Claudette Zepeda. © 2026 by Claudette Zepeda. Photographs © 2026 by David Alvarado. Photos on pages 8, 10, and 242 courtesy of the author. Photos on page 14 courtesy of Jason Sutherland Hsu. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.
Available for purchase at The Book Catapult.*
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FROM THE PAGES
Originally published in issue 83.
Ingredients
MAKES ONE 13 × 9-INCH BAKING DISH, OR ONE LARGE BUNDT MOLD
- 1 (15-ounce) can mango chunks in syrup (see Note)
- 4 (7-gram) packets instant gelatin (28 grams total)
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cooking spray, for greasing
Make Tres Leches Gelatina Con Mango
- Strain the canned mangoes, reserving the syrup. Dice the fruit into small pieces, if needed. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the gelatin and 1⁄2 cup of cold water. Whisk to incorporate; let the gelatin hydrate for 15 minutes.
- In a separate large bowl, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and reserved mango syrup. Whisk until incorporated.
- Transfer 1 cup of the milk mixture to a small pot and bring it to a slow simmer over medium heat. As soon as the milk reaches a simmer, turn the heat off. Add the hydrated gelatin and whisk until fully dissolved. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the gelatin-milk mixture back into the bowl with the rest of the milk mixture and whisk to combine.
- Spray a 13 × 9-inch baking dish or a Bundt pan with cooking spray. Pour the milk mixture into the pan, then add in the diced mango, making sure it is evenly distributed throughout. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Let the gelatina set for 3 to 4 hours before serving.
- Note: You can use fresh mango, as long as you have access to incredibly ripe, very sweet fruit. Canned mango just gives you consistent sweetness, which is important for this recipe. Alternative gelatina flavors/mix-ins (instead of mango): Fresh strawberry, chongos (caramelized milk curds), cajeta, coffee, mazapán (ground peanut candy)
Claudette Zepeda
Claudette Zepeda is the author of COOKING THE BORDERLANDS: SPICE AND SMOKE BETWEEN MEXICO AND THE STATES.
